Chapter 133: A Day-Trip Dungeon
Chapter 133: A Day-Trip Dungeon
I muttered blankly, surrounded by women sprawled everywhere, covered in semen.
“I guess this is what they mean when they say there’s no winning against a mob...”
The plan had been perfect.
I just hadn't expected Iris and Fay to pounce on me the moment I sent Carla and Elisha away.
For the record, after I knocked Iris and Fay out again, I had to deal with Carla and Elisha, who had regained consciousness.
With them coming at me two at a time in a tag-team relay, even I found it a bit overwhelming.
Fortunately, just as I was reaching my limit, the other four hit theirs.
Thinking about it, it made sense.
While less efficient than a knight’s Aura, a mage’s mana also has a beneficial effect on the body just by possessing it.
Things like getting sick less often, having better overall stamina, or not gaining weight.
So, if innate magic power affects the size of one's "equipment," then the amount of stored mana seems to affect one's sexual stamina...
And except for Fay, all the other women have a considerable amount of mana.
As for Fay, she’s a half-dwarf, so she just has naturally high physical stamina.
…I’m just glad they were all amateur cunts.
“By the way, is this really okay?”
Originally, I had planned to clear a dungeon today on a day trip and return to the Academy early tomorrow morning.
But looking at their current state, it didn't seem like they’d be waking up before lunch.
I was exhausted myself and felt like I needed to catch some Z's.
“I guess it can’t be helped.”
I’ll just sleep in and do a speedrun for the first time in a while.
*
“What? You’re going to a dungeon?”
Carla asked back, her ruby eyes blinking.
“Yeah. There’s a place nearby that’s perfect for a day trip. Let’s bring Iris and Senior Fay along and clear it real quick.”
“Uh… I’m not trying to disobey your orders, Master… but is that really okay? We just woke up and finished lunch.”
“He’s right, Yandel. You should have told us in advance. A dungeon isn't a place you go for fun; how can you bring this up so suddenly?”
“I’ve never heard of a dungeon near the Academy, which means it’s likely an undiscovered one. Entering without any preparation when we don’t know what’s inside is no different from suicide.”
“Mmm… I think the others are right. Above all… I’m not a combat alchemist. You haven't forgotten that, have you, Junior?”
All four of them were in opposition.
Everything they said was valid. Normally, that is.
“It’s fine. It’s a labyrinth-type dungeon, so if you know the way, it’s over in a flash. There won’t be much fighting either.”
“That makes it even more dangerous, Master. If we take a wrong turn, we could be trapped in a labyrinth for days… Huh? Wait? Could it be…?”
Carla, who had been trying to persuade me, let her mouth hang open.
When I slid my finger inside, her tongue instinctively coiled around it.
A wet, soft sensation.
I toyed with Carla’s tongue and nodded.
“I already know the way. We’ll run into some monsters here and there, but they won’t be too difficult. They’re from the Fisherman family. Mostly low-grade ones.”
Fishermen. Bipedal, fish-like creatures that are the most common species among aquatic monsters.
They have the intelligence of a child, so they use various tools and traps and live in groups, making them surprisingly tricky.
However, their physical abilities are on the lower side, so as long as you don't let your guard down, they’re easy to kill.
How should I put it? They’re like goblins that live underwater.
Overall, they’re a pushover race, but because their numbers are so vast, occasionally an unusually strong one pops up.
At the very least, no such named monsters appear in this dungeon.
Since it’s a dungeon that hasn't been discovered by anyone else, there’s no need to worry about unexpected variables.
After hearing the rest of my explanation, the women nodded reluctantly.
“If it’s mostly low-grade Fishermen… then it should be fine.”
“Yes. It’s also the perfect chance to test the artifacts Master made.”
“Still, tell us a bit earlier next time. You gave me quite a shock.”
“Exactly! For a second, I thought Junior had gone crazy!”
To think I’d feel a gap in perception in a place like this.
To me, a dungeon isn't a place where you risk your life. It’s a place you conquer.
Of course, one must be careful of variables. I had already been stabbed in the back during the dungeon practice, after all.
However, that was strictly about being wary of Cultist executives, not about considering the dungeon itself dangerous.
This was because I had memorized the structures, monsters, and strategies for every single dungeon that appeared in H&A.
How many people would be afraid when they already knew they were going to win?
But it was different for everyone else.
I scratched the back of my head awkwardly and spoke.
“Sorry. I’ll explain the strategy in detail now.”
The location of the dungeon, its brief structure, the types of traps, which rooms had monsters and which didn't, and the method to bypass everything to reach the heart of the dungeon.
Only after I had told them everything did we leave the mansion.
*
Rahim City is a city that naturally formed as people flocked to the Academy.
In other words, while the Academy itself was a planned construction, Rahim City was not.
As it expanded haphazardly, several areas were abandoned or forgotten, and the place we were heading to now was one of them.
It was once a facility where all the sewage of Rahim City flowed, but now it was a drainage system that had fallen into disuse since water was purified with magic.
The small, filthy pond at the end of that old entrance was today’s destination.
“The dungeon entrance should be at the bottom of this.”
“Ugh… it smells much worse than it sounded. Are you sure? Is there really a dungeon inside here?”
“As far as I know, yes.”
“Don’t be so disgusted, my disciple. Isn't this exactly what an undiscovered dungeon is like?”
“That may be true… but I can’t help the psychological repulsion.”
Elisha grumbled. But Iris was right.
If it were in a conspicuous place, it would have been conquered long ago or managed under heavy guard.
The basement of the Gepp Auction House was like that, and so was the deep forest where the practice dungeon was located.
Usually, it’s because no one visits these places that they remain undiscovered dungeons.
Fay, perhaps feeling sorry for Elisha who was pinching her nose, rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a bottle containing a gray potion.
“Miss Elisha. Would you like to try this? It’s a medicine that temporarily paralyzes your sense of smell if you apply it under your nose.”
“Oh? I’ll gladly take it, Miss Fay.”
I grabbed Elisha just as she was about to open the potion bottle with a bright smile.
“Wait. Senior Fay. Is this the type that paralyzes the nose with a strong mint scent?”
“Huh? Yeah. It’s the most common type. Easy to make, too.”
“Then you can’t use it. You know, don't you, Senior? The characteristics of Fisherman-type monsters.”
“Well, even the Production Department learns the basics… Ah!”
Fay hurriedly put the potion bottle back, startled.
And for good reason. One of the characteristics of Fisherman-type monsters is that they have extremely sensitive vision and smell.
Since they try to see and smell even underwater, they must have evolved that way.
If it’s a scent strong enough to paralyze a human nose, a Fisherman would be able to smell it and find us from far away.
It was like that in H&A, and I learned it was the same at the Academy.
With Iris here, them finding us wouldn't be dangerous… but is there any need to attract enemies we don’t have to fight?
Above all, today’s goal was also to check the transparency performance of the robes Iris made; if the smell was that strong, we wouldn't even be able to test them properly.
Fay probably hadn't thought that far since she was in the Production Department and didn't have much reason to go into actual combat.
“The smell is foul, but it won’t be this bad inside the dungeon, so it’s better to just endure it.”
“Ugh… I think I could manage if I limited the range of the paralysis to just the nose… but I can’t make that with the portable kit I have now….”
Fay continued with a dejected face.
“Sorry, Junior. You probably brought me along to use me for things like this….”
“What? What are you talking about, Senior Fay?”
“???”
“???”
Fay and I looked at each other, tilting our heads left and right.
“I mean… didn't you bring me along thinking I’d make the consumables we need in the dungeon on the spot?”
“Why would I? If that were the case, I would have told you what I needed in advance.”
No matter how lightly I was taking this dungeon, I wasn't so careless as to forget the supplies.
“Then why did you bring me, Junior…?”
“To fully strip this dungeon of everything it has, we need an excellent alchemist. And the blessing you get as a clear reward is something you need, Senior.”
Fay is definitely an alchemist with the potential to eventually create the Philosopher’s Stone.
But that’s not something that happens just by leaving her alone.
This applies to every character in H&A.
Think about it. No matter how talented they are, students who have lived barely over twenty years saving the world?
Then what would that make the Academy graduates currently working on the front lines?
No matter how great their talent, to make it bloom in a short time, one must make good use of dungeon rewards.
In any form, a dungeon reward is a fragmented piece of a Good God’s Authority.
By gathering these fragments over and over, one’s status naturally rises, allowing them to surpass human limits.
Of course, you can’t just collect them randomly; you have to plan a proper build.
In that sense, the reward of this dungeon is essential for alchemists.
It’s to the point where you can’t even open the secret rooms found along the way without an alchemy skill above a certain level.
This place was practically made for someone to bring an alchemist along.
The low level of the monsters was likely for that reason as well.
When it was a game, I thought it was the developers' intention… but now I know.
It wasn't the developers, but the intention of the God who created this dungeon.
“Do you understand? This dungeon conquest is actually for you, Senior. Well, we might get to eat some of the crumbs, though.”
“Ju, Junior….”
Fay’s black eyes sparkled as if she were deeply moved.
“Hey, hey. It’s too early to be moved. We haven't even gone in yet. Carla, you know how to use the Air Pocket magic, right?”
“Of course. I’ll prepare it now, Master.”
A moment later, we reached the bottom of the pond inside a large air bubble.